Feds Renew Current Healthy Indiana Plan, State Still Waiting For Word On HIP 2.0

Gov. Mike Pence announced Monday that the current version of the Healthy Indiana Plan will live on for another year.  The state still awaits word on its proposed healthcare expansion plan known as HIP 2.0.

The Healthy Indiana Plan, the state’s health insurance program for low income Hoosiers, serves about 60,000 people.  The federal government renewed HIP for another year late last week. This comes as the state is negotiating with the feds for approval of HIP 2.0, its healthcare expansion plan that would extend coverage to more than 350,000 Hoosiers. 

Gov. Mike Pence says he’s hopeful that HIP’s renewal is a sign the Obama administration is open to moving forward with HIP 2.0 approval.  Republican legislative leaders Brian Bosma and David Long aren’t so bullish on the possibility of approved expansion.  Long says he’s worried the federal government won’t come through.

“To see them dithering out there in Washington on this issue is very disappointing and I suspect in the end that they’ll reject it; that’s my guess…and they’ll do it for purely political reasons,” Long said.

The federal government didn’t provide the state a timetable for its decision on HIP 2.0.